Nan Upton started out as a teacher, and in her time on KREIA's board and as KREIA President (2005 - 2006), she was able to help others learn how to use real estate investments as a vehicle for reaching financial freedom.

We sat down to lunch with Nan one day in 2024 and plied her with many questions, which she graciously answered. Her journey as a single mother working hard to provide for her children — and navigating the '80s and '90s as a woman competing, and winning, in what many considered a man's game — is an inspirational one.

She has many tips and life lessons to share.

— Lauren Willoughby

    KREIA: When did real estate start pinging your radar?

    Nan: I was always semi-interested in real estate. My parents had what was then called a two-flat. They lived downstairs and upstairs there was a tenant. The tenants were sometimes my mother’s best friend. And it was rather nice if they had kids. We had playmates, my brother and I. So, it was always kind of a nice thing, unlike many of the landlord stories you hear today.

    But what really got me started in real estate was that I was diagnosed with cancer while I was still in my 30s. And as a teacher you don’t make great money. The doctors gave me a 50/50 chance, which didn’t sound terribly good to me. And I had two small girls at the time. So, I knew I needed to make some money or have an income other than what I had.

If you're a KREIA member currently logged into your account, you can read the full interview here.